FCW Insider: Oct. 8

NASA's SEWP sees 40% spending increase in 2020

NASA's governmentwide acquisition contract sees substantial increase in orders for fiscal 2020; COVID impact is unclear.

IRS modernization still lacks funding

The tax agency is pursuing two modernization plans but lacks funds from Congress to fully implement replacement for 60-year-old systems.

Workforce changes needed to make IC more agile, report says

A new congressional report wants the intelligence community to reform its personnel practices as well as take a few cues from the Defense Department to speed innovation.

Quick Hits

*** President Donald Trump nominated Sean Plankey to serve as Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The job has been open since the departure of Brian Harrell in August. Plankey is currently at the Department of Energy, serving as principal deputy assistant secretary for the DOE's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response. Before that appointment, Plankey was director for maritime and Pacific cybersecurity policy on the National Security Council.

*** The American Federation of Government Employees is worried that the Trump administration's recent efforts to pause and reset government diversity and inclusion trainings is being done without regard for problems of racism in the workplace.

"President Trump's order to prohibit the use of federal funds for diversity and inclusion training programs for federal and contract workers has sent a terrible message that racism and discrimination are not problems the federal government should address," AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in an Oct. 7 statement.

*** Today is the final Federal 100 Winner Showcase event, focusing on digital services and innovation, and featuring winners from the Air Force, Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.